


Call Me A Wild One

by Likea_boss9987



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Frukus - Freeform, Love Triangles, M/M, Omega Verse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2015-10-16
Packaged: 2018-02-25 19:05:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2632847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Likea_boss9987/pseuds/Likea_boss9987
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur's an Omega and he was quite okay with it, even though he knew he wasn't settling down anytime soon. Screw what society said! Well—that was until two Alphas started fighting over him. Annoying prats! FrUKUS Love Triangle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Warning(s): Characters might be OOC, A/B/O Dynamics
> 
> Author's Note: This will be a multi-chaptered fic, though I'm not sure how long it will be. This is also the first time I've written a A/B/O story so I hope I got all the facts right. I hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything; Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.

_Prologue_

As an Omega, Arthur had always known what society had planned out for him. Get with an Alpha (or a Beta) and settle down with a large brood of children. The end. That's all there was to it, no more. That was why, even though Arthur himself was going to college, there were only a handful of other Omegas following the same path as he. Most of them have already mated, since the average mating age for Omegas was sixteen and they would then rely on their partner to provide for them. In fact, Omegas seeking higher education were highly discouraged from doing so and if they persisted on, they would be looked down upon. Discriminated against.

But Arthur didn't care. He was going to do what he wanted, regardless of what everybody thought. He was going to get his degree in medicine and become a doctor. And then, after he got a stable income, enough to be financially independent, he would  _maybe_ consider settling down.  _Maybe._

Because he loved children, and wanted someone by his side that shared his love to raise some with, even if he disliked the fact that many people saw Omegas— _him_ —as nothing more than baby-making machines.

He was rather strong-willed, he would have to concede. Arthur imagined that there would be few Alphas who would want him, if any at all, since most preferred to be the one who gave all the orders while the docile Omega would obediently follow.

And to that, Arthur could think of nothing better to say than a hearty "Fuck you!" He had grown up in a family full of Alphas, aside from his mother, who was a Beta. His father—Alpha. All four of his brothers, including his younger brother—Alpha. They treated him as if he was less than them, all because of his type. His brothers would often exclude him from their activities saying that they were for 'Alphas only'. His father had had even once considered arranging a marriage for him. And even his mother would say that he should accept his part in life, sending him for proper Omega training.

It was terrible! Why couldn't he have what his brothers had? They could do whatever they wanted and the more violent they were, the more their father approved. As for him, showing the least bit of defiance would result in a huge dressing down. He had had to work hard to get into college, studying so hard to get perfect grades so that he could be offered a scholarship (making sure that the colleges would have no choice but to accept him or face accusations of discrimination) and working part time to fund the remaining himself, since his parents refused to pay for his 'ridiculous fantasy'.

He got to this point after so long, working himself sore, and the path, to him, was clear and perfectly great, thank you very much.

But that was until life threw in two wildcards to throw his entire plan out of whack.

 


	2. A New Beginning And Tired Limbs

_Chapter One—A New Beginning And Tired Limbs_

Arthur took a deep breath and stared at the white building in front of him. This was what he had been working for; this was going to bring him another step closer to achieving his dream. But there was a part of him that was squirming in fear.

_What will college be like?_

That question kept bouncing around his mind. He wasn't too afraid about maintaining his good grades—he was a hard worker (he pretty much rivalled Betas in efficiency) and was extremely confident that his grades would not be a problem. What he was uncertain about was how his life would be in college…how people would treat him. Not that it would deter him. He didn't need a social life to fulfill his dream. After all, he already lived through ridicule in high school.

" _Can you believe him? Thinking he can get a job as a doctor?"_

" _Better get a mate, Kirkland! That pipe dream you're chasing is hopeless!"_

" _An Omega who believes he can survive without a mate—fat chance!"_

" _Why not be my secondary mate once your dreams ultimately crash and burn, huh Kirkland? It's a once in a lifetime deal! Hahaha!"_

Arthur clenched his fists as he recalled all the taunts from high school. Why was it so ridiculous that he had a dream? Every person had a dream. Was he somehow any less of a human just because he had the ability to bear children? All because he had that additional ability, he had to be 'weak' and dependent on an Alpha?

The very idea was ludicrous. Unfortunately, that was what the majority of the population believed.

Whatever people believed, he was going to prove them wrong.

But although he could put up with people constantly pushing him down (stiff upper lip, as he would like to remind himself), he really rather not have to go through it all over again.

He had heard before that high school was the worst years of a person's life and he sincerely hoped that that was right. Arthur wanted to think that since he was now in college, it would be a new start for him—that all the close-minded people from high school have grown up.

Somehow though, he seriously doubted it.

Arthur had already dropped off all of his things at the hostel and now, he was preparing to enter his new life, his new school and a bright future. The Student Orientation was to begin at ten o' clock, so technically, he was an hour or so early. Well, he was excited and extremely pleased that he had made it so far, so why wouldn't he be early? It was better than being late, that's for sure. This way, he could perhaps make a good impression.

However, he should have brought a book with him—Shakespeare would have tided him through nicely—to keep him entertained while he waited for other students to arrive. But because he had been so caught up in his excitement, he had forgotten, rushing out of the house with only his wallet in hand. And he couldn't very well go back to the hostel. Firstly, that would make him look very foolish (not that anybody was watching) and secondly, after walking back to the hostel and back again, he would have absolutely no time to enjoy the fine piece of literature anyway.

 _Well,_ Arthur thought.  _Might as well take a short walk around the school, see the different facilities._ He had seen pictures of the school before and had even gone on a few brief group tours around Hetalia College when it was time to hunt for good colleges. Now though, it would be nice to be able to get a feel of the school's atmosphere alone. It would also help him pass the time so win-win.

As he walked pass the doors of the huge learning establishment, he couldn't help but gape in awe. Arthur thought that it had been big enough but this time, without any people crowding the space, it looked simply magnificent. Since the founder of the college was a wealthy man from Rome, the architecture was phenomenal. It was the type of building where Arthur could imagine Shakespeare's characters wandering around living out their romances, drama and tragedies. Except it was newer and shinier—breathtaking.

Strolling around the place with wide green eyes, he scanned the designs with wonderment. He passed by many rooms, though they were just lecture or seminar halls and though looked nice, they weren't anything interesting. He looked at his watch and groaned. Arthur had only spent roughly ten minutes roaming around and his legs were getting weak. Sometimes he really disliked the fact that Omega bodies weren't made for too much physical activity—besides sexual activity but Arthur  _really_ didn't want to think about it; the very thought was causing his face to redden—as it caused him to tire so quickly. Only walking for a while and he was ready to sit down and refuel.

A great place for him to sit for the remaining amount of time would be the library. With air-conditioning to cool him down after he had walked around in the hot, scorching sun, a ton of fascinating books to read, and a place for him to sit, it would be good for him.

Brilliant plan. Only one problem.

He did not know where the library was. Or at least he had forgotten it since visiting the college two years ago.

So he either walk throughout the entire campus searching for it—not something he wanted to do—or ask someone for directions. Or he could look for the campus map…though he had not seen any so far.

 _Ask for directions it is,_ Arthur mused. It was good for him that although many people weren't there yet, there were still some people wandering about, be it students or professors. Arthur hoped the first person he asked knew the way around the school, because he really hated asking people for help. What could he say? He was people-shy and it hurt his pride.

 _Well,_ Arthur thought, taking in a huge breath as he saw someone that he could ask.  _Here I go._

As he walked towards the blond-haired person he had spotted, Arthur immediately caught the other guy's scent.  _An Alpha, huh? Just my luck—goodbye pride._

He had to suck it up anyway, this time at least. The Alpha was looking at a message board of some type, full of notices. One of them was a sign up for a Literature-Interest Discussion group. And although Literature was not a course he was taking—he loved it but it couldn't help him get his dream job as a paediatrician—he noted it down, just in case he ever wanted to join up. Arthur once again took in a huge intake of breath, before hesitantly tapping the blond man's shoulder.

Clearing his throat, he asked, "Excuse me, hello? May I know where the library is, please?"

The blond-haired Alpha turned around and faced him, allowing Arthur to see his face. He had blue eyes, a bit of facial hair, and he appeared to be in his twenties or so. Flashing Arthur a friendly smile, he said, "Oh ho—Of course! In fact, I'd bring you there!"

Arthur winced a little at the overenthusiasm and the French accent. "It's okay, I can make it there myself. Could you just give me the directions there—?"

"Nonsense!" The Frenchman interrupted. "I have time, I'll bring you."

"But—" The Alpha didn't even allow Arthur to finish his protest as he grabbed Arthur's hand and started to pull him away.

Sighing, Arthur wondered what exactly he had gotten himself into, talking to this guy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I can't believe I named the college Hetalia College. So much originality... Also it seems like every AU for a fandom I start with is a school setting. I haven't been to college before so if I got anything wrong, feel free to tell me.
> 
> So far,
> 
> FrUK - 5
> 
> FrUKUS (they share Arthur, I guess, still figuring that out) - 3
> 
> USUK - 3
> 
> You can still vote through reviews and PM if you want.
> 
> I've started reading an excessive amount of Omegaverse fics as research for this fic and wow, there are many amazing ones. If you want links to some, just ask and I'll name some of them next chapter. Though, most of them are not complete and USUK :P
> 
> And lastly, thanks to those who reviewed, I appreciate it!


	3. The Library And A Talkative Twit

_Chapter Two—The Library And A Talkative Twit_

Arthur was panting as the Alpha pulled him along. He was too damn fast and he did not even seem to notice that Arthur was falling behind.

"S-Slow down, would you?" Arthur huffed. The other man did not seem to hear him, or did not bother to listen, like a typical Alpha. The Omega was about to repeat his statement but suddenly, he was brought to an abrupt stop, his body bumping into the other male's as the force jerked him forward. Fortunately, the Frenchman stayed balanced and caught him just in time, preventing both of them from sprawling onto the ground.

"We're here," the Alpha proclaimed, looking down at the dazed Omega in his arms. He laughed before continuing, "And aren't you a clumsy thing _, mon ami_? Should have paid attention to where we're going,  _non?_

Arthur scowled and wiggled his way out of the other male's hold. "It wasn't my fault that you were going so fast—I am hardly to blame." He tidied up his uniform, getting rid of any creases and brushing off the non-existent dust. "Now, I thank you for bringing me here but, if you'd excuse me, I'll be going in now."

With that, Arthur turned away from the Alpha and walked into the library, planning to forget ever meeting the eager man. Too bad for him, fate wasn't letting him off that easily.

"Wait!" The Frenchman called from behind him, as he ran to Arthur's side. He placed his hand on Arthur's shoulder. "I'll stay with you."

Arthur shot him an irritated glare. "No thank you, I'd rather you not." He shook the other man's hand off and headed towards the first large shelf of books, inwardly squealing at the vast amount of books he saw. Goodness, this place was like Arthur's heaven on earth! He could spend all his free time here and hold no regrets. He touched the cover of one book reverently—it was an old book, actually leather-bound and not paperback like books these days were. Oh yes, Arthur would take pleasure in reading this, if not for the content then for the experience of flipping through the pages. The Hetalia College's library was like a treasure trove, honestly and Arthur was glad that he was here to enjoy it.

But yet again, the annoying prick of an Alpha snapped him out of his bliss. "It's lonely in here—why not let me keep you company? I can't allow such a lovely face to be by himself."

At this point, Arthur was prepared to punch the Alpha's face and file a complaint on harassment. But instead, he decided to be a reasonable person and just ignore the other male entirely. He removed the aforementioned leather-bound book from the shelf and headed towards the closest table.

Sadly for him, the other man  _really_ did not know how to take a hint and followed him to the table, taking a seat across from him, a wide smile on his face. Arthur grumbled under his breath but did not protest. He didn't want to cause a scene—especially not in a library—even though there was hardly a single soul there and he would only disturb the two librarians and some potted plants.

He looked at the book title, and saw that it was a book on the occult, or to be more accurate occultism, not really surprising since the shelves were sorted in the Dewey Decimal System and he had browsed through books in the 100 class.

 _Lucky me,_ Arthur thought with a slight smile. He had always been interested in the occult, and it first caught his attention around the time he realised his position in society, when his brothers first started actively shunning him for his nature. He was taken in by the magical part of it and he had searched for spells. Spells to change people's mind, spells to prevent people from bullying him. Things like that. Once he had even snuck in a potion that he made into his brothers' meals, hoping that it would make them treat him nicer. Of course, he had not succeeded but he preferred to believe that it was due to his lack of prowess and experience in that area to thinking that magic did not exist. Now, even though he had stopped trying to practice spells and had gotten rid of his occult books, replacing them with medical ones, he still appreciated cracking open an occult book once in a blue moon.

Arthur started reading, so engrossed in it that he almost forgot that there was a git sitting across from him—almost.

"So—what's your name?" The Alpha asked casually, leaning forward in his chair. Arthur groaned.  _Why can't he just keep quiet? This is a library after all, people aren't supposed to talk in here._ "I'm Francis Bonnefoy or Professor Bonnefoy and I'm truly honoured to meet a  _beauté_ such as yourself."

Letting out a sigh, Arthur replied, "My name's Arthur Kirkland. Now could you please stop bothering me? If you hadn't realised, I came to the library to read in peace, not socialise. Thank you." Arthur then returned to his book, crossing his fingers that Bonnefoy would understand and finally leave him alone.

Francis chuckled and decided to disregard Arthur's words. He said, "But I did you a favour, guiding you here in the first place so the least you could do is hold a conversation with me."

Arthur wanted to shout at him that he had only asked for bloody  _directions_ and that  _he_ had been the one who dragged him away without his consent. Yet, he didn't, for some reason. He mumbled insults under his breath but other than that, he did not respond.

"I'll take that your silence means you agree with me.  _Magnifique_! Now, tell me, you're a student here,  _oui_?"

"Yes. I am. I would think it was quite obvious. And I am assuming from your introduction that you're a teacher here, right  _Professor?"_ Arthur sneered.

" _Honhonhon!_ Oh yes I am. How observant! You're a smart one! And don't need to be so disgruntled; I'm sure you'll have the chance to be in one of my amazing classes. In fact, I'm certain you will be!"

"I'm hardly upset about that!" Arthur denied. "I've already told you I want to be left alone and I'm  _pissed_ because you absolutely  _refuse_ to."

"You hurt me,  _mon ami,_ I thought we had a connection." Francis put both hands onto the place where his heart would be (if he had one, Arthur tagged on in his mind), feigning pain. His blue eyes lit up. "By the way, you're an Omega, aren't you?"

"Yes…?" Arthur was confused by the question. It was such a redundant one. Anyone would be able to tell his nature by his scent, just like how he had known Francis was an Alpha.

"Hm, interesting… You don't act much like one."

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "Is there something wrong with that?"

Francis raised his hands in surrender. " _Non,_ of course not! Don't get me wrong. It's just that you remind me of my sister, that's all."

"Oh?" Arthur retorted. "What about her—?"

Arthur trailed off as he noticed Francis' eyes darken.

"She's passed on," Francis said shortly, clearly not too keen to elaborate on that.

Minutes ticked by as silence befell them, the atmosphere getting uncomfortable from the turn the conversation had taken. Although Arthur had wanted silence from the start, he could not leave it at that (even if Bonnefoy had been the one to start the topic in the first place) and shifted forward, hesitantly putting a comforting hand on the other's arm.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure she was a wonderful person," Arthur whispered, albeit awkwardly. He wasn't very good at this comforting thing, even to himself. His fairy friends were the ones to comfort him whenever he was feeling down and he hardly had many friends to practice consoling on.

Francis released a deep sort of laugh, one that had a certain sadness to it. "She was a temperate Omega, always going against the society norms, trying to improve Omega rights. She was brilliant."

He glanced at the clock on the wall and said, "Oh look at the time. It sure passes when we're having fun." He got off the seat and offered a hand to Arthur. "I believe you have an orientation to get to. It starts at ten, you do know that right?"

Arthur checked his watch and saw, to his alarm, that he had ten minutes left to get to the auditorium for orientation. And he had barely read through ten pages. Arthur sighed, brushing away Francis' hand as he stood up by himself.

"I know when the orientation starts, git."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic will have a rather slow start before the romance kicks in so bear with it, please. I just have to set up everything first. Also, I don't approve of Student/Teacher relationships in real life, but in this society, it is accepted. And if you're wondering how Francis is a College Professor even though he is rather young (he's 25, six years older than Arthur) it is partly due to the fact that he's an Alpha (you could say that in this society, being an Alpha is quite advantageous in such jobs. Betas would mostly be in services though they get 'equal' opportunity. Omegas have less chances, if any at all, in many professions, since society prefer they stay home) and also because he is good at what he teaches (sort of a prodigy at it, even).
> 
> So far,
> 
> FrUKUS - 26
> 
> USUK - 23
> 
> FrUK - 16
> 
> Wow, you guys sure love the FrUKUS option. Although, just to clarify, in that option, Francis and Alfred would be sharing Arthur but they won't really be in a relationship with each other, since I'm not particularly fond of FrUS. I hope that's okay.
> 
> You can still vote through reviews and PM if you want.
> 
> Some Omegaverse Stories
> 
> (I didn't include the ones that are purely smut, and they are all USUK with Arthur as the Omega - I couldn't find any FrUK Omegaverse, sorry and I prefer Arthur as the Omega)
> 
> A Queen and his King by AlexithymicVirable [Complete]
> 
> Capricious by avalonrose [Incomplete]
> 
> Attitude by AGajillionAndFivePercentDone [Incomplete]
> 
> Of Social Importance by sweetayako15 (on AO3) [Incomplete]
> 
> Altruism by Evidentiality [Incomplete]
> 
> Ashes to Ashes by Hellie Ace [Incomplete]
> 
> A New Life by jagaimo-chan [Incomplete]
> 
> Thank you for all the reviews! I'm astounded at how much feedback I've gotten for this fic. I hope we can maintain that :D


	4. Orientation And A Soft-Spoken Student

_Chapter Three—Orientation And A Soft-Spoken Student_

Francis followed him to the Orientation area, although he told him that he was not going with him to bother him this time (well, that was what it translated to in Arthur's mind anyway) but because he was due there as well. Arthur sighed in relief at that and did not complain like he had planned to.

And true enough, as soon as they reached the auditorium, Francis left his side to join the rest of the professors on stage while Arthur went to join the group of freshmen. There were many people there, and Arthur felt a little uncomfortable, not really being much of a social butterfly. However, he held the hope that he would finally be able to make friends for once here. Maybe there were people who shared his views—perhaps the Omegas who decided to go to college as well.

Yes, that would be good. If he had at least one friend to stand with him throughout the next four years, it would make his experience at Hetalia College so much better. They could fight back against conservative bullies together—show them that Omegas were a force to be reckoned with. What a nice fantasy…

Once again, he was not saying that the lack of a friend would discourage him from living his college life to the fullest, of course not! But still, it was such a tempting vision, to have a friend… Too bad he was a prickly sort of person. Most people found him unapproachable and although he liked to think that it were always just people being prejudiced to his aspirations, he  _guessed_ he could see how his personality could be a turn-off to some people.

"Welcome freshmen to the Hetalia College Orientation!" The magnified voice snapped Arthur's out of his thought. The announcer had a huge grin on his face, bright green eyes shining brightly. Standing behind him were Francis and another professor who appeared to be albino, with white hair, red eyes, and a wicked smirk on his. Arthur decided to listen attentively, not wanting to miss anything.

"So," the speaker continued. "I bet all of you are excited to get on with it! You will be going around in groups. We will be splitting all of you up according to your Nature, since each type have different mandatory classes to fulfill. Then, after some short icebreakers, every group shall go around the college, playing games and experiencing one of the mandatory classes. Sounds fun? You bet it is!

"Okay, now, Alphas to the left, Betas to the right and Omegas in the middle.  _Adiós_! " The professor sent them off with a cheerful goodbye, and the freshmen started shifting, Arthur included.

As Arthur walked to join his Omega peers, he realised there were very, very few of them. About forty students max, while the Alphas and Betas sported about two hundred students each, at least. Arthur frowned. He knew from the start that there would be less Omegas but he had not expected the numeral difference to be so huge. He wondered how the Alphas and Betas were going to move around the school with so many people. He figured they would further split up into smaller groups so the student volunteers and professors would be able to handle them. He gathered with his fellow Omegas and thought a bit bitterly,  _There won't be a need to split the Omegas up, since there are so few of us to begin with._

The professor in charge of the Omegas—who introduced herself as Elizabeta Héderváry—ordered them all to sit in one big circle so that they could get started with the icebreakers. After everyone was down on the floor, she gestured for one of the two student volunteers, a man with wavy hair and violet eyes, and gently asked him to give instructions. The man appeared nervous, standing in the middle of the circle of Omega freshmen. He began to speak, although Arthur could barely hear his voice.

"Hello everyone," he said softly. "My name is Matthew Williams. I'm a Junior student volunteer and I'll be giving you instructions for the first icebreaker." He pulled out a red ball from his pocket and raised it up for everybody to see.

"We'll be passing this ball around—"

Not many people were paying attention to Matthew at this point; some were ignoring him, having their own small conversations. It annoyed Arthur to see people treat the guy with such disrespect. Their manners were appalling! His neighbour was particularly loud, not even trying to feign interest as she chatted to another girl beside her.

He cleared his throat, not loud enough to disrupt the speaking student volunteer but enough to draw the attention of the girl next to him. "You should pay attention to the instructions," he chided, hoping that she would listen to him. Surprising she did listen, although she did shoot him a slight dirty look, probably annoyed at his interference. Well, it looked like Arthur had just eliminated a possible friend.

"—the ball is in your hand, k-kindly state your name and one interesting fact about yourself. Thank you!"

Matthew finished rather abruptly and he walked towards Arthur. He handed the ball to Arthur and asked, "Do you minding starting first?"

Arthur nodded, accepting the ball with an "alright". Matthew looked relief as he sat on the space next to Arthur. Arthur had the impression that he did not much like having too many people's attention on him at a time. Either way, Arthur got the ball rolling, telling everyone his name, and after thinking for awhile, sharing that he came from the United Kingdom (maybe it wasn't much of an 'interesting fact' but he couldn't much think of anything else) before passing the ball to the girl he had pissed off.

As the ball was passed around the circle—and it seemed many followed his example of stating which country they're from, and wow, they were a diverse bunch—Arthur made sure to remember every name, and matched each name to the correct face. They were all possible friends and Arthur thought that it would be easier to forge a relationship if he had a tiny base to start from.

"Thank you," a small voice from beside him drew him away from his attempts at categorising all the faces. Arthur turned his head slightly away from the current speaker to face Matthew with a curious expression on his face. Arthur questioned, "What are you thanking me for?"

Matthew offered him a smile and said, "For trying to get someone to listen me just now. I appreciate the effort."

Oh. Arthur smiled as well. This was the first time someone genuinely thanked him for doing something. It was nice.

"No problem, chap. It was the right thing to do," Arthur replied. They continued to smile at each other for a few more seconds before they returned their attention to the icebreaker.

And as he sat there, Arthur wondered if he had just found a new friend.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I write short chapters - I hope that's okay. Also, school is starting soon for me so updates will probably take longer.
> 
> So far,
> 
> FrUKUS - 36
> 
> USUK - 32
> 
> FrUK - 20
> 
> You can still vote on the poll for this on the profile page, as well as through reviews and PM if you want - the polls will probably stop once I'm done laying down the foundation for this fic.
> 
> I found the Beta!Alfred/Omega!Arthur story, if anyone's interested. It's Guardian by Iggycat [Complete]. It's a cute story.
> 
> Also, someone recommended another story Song And Claw by Ahro (on AO3) [Incomplete]. I haven't read it yet but the summary looked cool.
> 
> Thank you for all the reviews! I'm astounded at how much feedback I've gotten for this fic. I hope we can maintain that :D
> 
> So, since this is a college AU and I've never been to college, I was wondering if someone who has experienced college would be so kind to tell me what it's like? Like, how do people schedule classes, stuff like that.
> 
> Also...I think I've ran out of FrUK/USUK stories to read and I'm sad :( If anyone could recommend a good one (in the order, USUK, FrUK, no UKUS or UKFr, please. It's a matter of preference), that would be great :D


	5. Cooking Class And A Friendship Forms

_Chapter Four—Cooking Class And A Friendship Forms_

They played three more icebreakers – Duck, Duck, Goose; the Blanket Game and the Extreme Game – to get to know each other better before Professor Héderváry told them to get ready to move.

"So, guess what everybody?" She said cheerfully, "The mandatory class we'll be attending will be cooking class! And I know how Omegas love cooking so I hope you'll all have fun."

Excited chattering broke out while Arthur himself was filled with mixed feelings. Like most other Omegas, he  _did_ love cooking. Something about making edible things with his hands by himself just made him happy and gave him a weird feeling of superiority. However, in the end, it was a class he failed often in high school, with his previous cooking teachers always shaking their heads at his creations. Which was terrible, since Arthur thought his cooking was perfectly fine, thank you very much. It showed how much of a 'failed' Omega he was, of course. But, Arthur should add that he excelled at embroidery. Just putting it out there. He wasn't completely helpless at "Omega jobs".

It was a good thing that the mandatory classes for each Nature didn't affect grades. The mandatory classes were there for "holistic education" so each student could "find their own identity". Which was kind of hypocritical since they were all confined to their Nature either way so what identity were they supposed to find, besides the one the school wanted them to fit into?

Either way, they were told to line up in neat roles of two, before they headed off to the kitchen. Arthur found himself at the back of the line with Matthew beside him. They didn't converse like the other students as they made their way to their destination but somehow, Arthur felt calm with Matthew's presence next to him. It seemed as if they had a type of connection, two people who appreciate peaceful and comfortable silence.

If Arthur were to ever have friends, Matthew would be the perfect candidate. Even if he was two years older.

After the Omega group shuffled down the halls, they arrived at the kitchen. It was quite huge, with about fifty cooking areas in the entire place. And in the very front was none other than Francis Bonnefoy once again, wearing an apron and a poofy chef hat.

Arthur groaned. He was the cooking teacher? Really? How bad could his luck get?

Honestly, was fate out to get him or something?

Matthew, who was still standing next to him, heard his groan and asked, "What's wrong?"

Arthur shrugged his shoulders flippantly before facing Matthew, answering, "Well, it's just—how do I explain this? I asked this Professor for directions earlier on and he proved to be rather annoying. I'm just dreading having him as a teacher."  _Especially my cooking teacher,_ Arthur added on in his mind.

Matthew raised an eyebrow, frowning. He said, "But Professor Bonnefoy's a nice teacher. Even if he might seem a little overly friendly."

Arthur stared at Matthew in shock. Did he just defend the annoying bugger of a Professor? Nice, quiet Matthew actually liked the loud, flamboyant Francis?

"You actually like him?" Arthur asked.

"Yes," Matthew confirmed. "Like I said, he's a nice teacher, he really is. And he's been teaching me—or rather all Omegas—cooking for the past two years. Trust me, he's a great professor. Don't judge him too quickly."

"Goodness, you're praising him to the high heavens," Arthur mumbled under his breath, feeling annoyed. He was a judgmental person, sure, and made most of his assumptions based on first impression. It took quite a lot to change his mind. And Matthew was obviously making a good case for Professor Bonnefoy. Matthew has known Francis for two years while Arthur had…one meeting with him. Well, that didn't totally negate his opinion, did it?

"Fine," Arthur finally said, grudgingly. "I trust your judgement." A question popped into his mind and he enquired, "But I'm shocked that he's the cooking teacher. I always thought Alphas believed cooking to be beneath them."

Matthew replied, "Technically he wasn't the cooking teacher when he started here three years ago. When I was in my first year, an Omega female was teaching cooking. I can't remember her name—she only taught for a month before leaving, though we were never told the reason. Professor Bonnefoy took over soon after. He's actually the Chemistry professor as well."

Arthur had to stop himself from shouting out at that. He was teaching chemistry as well? Really, Arthur had the worst luck.  _Even if he is a good person…really? What are the odds?_

"Anyway," Matthew continued. "Professor Bonnefoy is really unlike the stereotypical Alpha. He's actually very passionate about cooking and I heard he's trying to make it an option for Betas and Alphas to take cooking class as well. And also perhaps making it optional for Omegas, although I doubt it will happen."

Matthew looked as if he was going to say more but their conversation was put to an end as Professor Bonnefoy started the class.

Francis greeted the Omegas with a wide, welcoming smile on his face. " _Bonjour_ everyone! Welcome to cooking class—I'm sure you'll all enjoy your time." He winked at them, and Arthur could hear some dreamy sighs from a few of his peers.

"I'm Professor Bonnefoy and I'm glad to meet all of you lovely Omegas. Now, for some admin stuff—don't worry I'll make it short. I want to get to cooking as well. Okay, cooking class will last for three hours, which will give us enough time to make more than one complicated dish. You'll be cooking in pairs so choose your partners carefully—they'd be your partners for the year! Once I give the demonstration and hand out the recipe, you'd start cooking at the stations that have already been set up with food, and I'll be going around asking your names. After all, I want to know all of you better.  _D'accord_?"

The class nodded. Professor Bonnefoy then clapped his hands together and shouted, "Let's begin then!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So, because of a bizarre stretch of logic, France is a prodigy in Chemistry. How did I come to that conclusion? Well, here's the thought process: France = Best in Healthcare in the World = Chemistry is compulsory to study medicine = Francis is great at Chemistry.
> 
> So far,
> 
> FrUKUS - 49
> 
> USUK - 42
> 
> FrUK - 27
> 
> Since FrUK seems to be falling behind - which I wonder about: Did I put Francis in a bad light? _ - I actively went to search for FrUK fics. And there are very, very few. But here they are:
> 
> (Note: They're mostly smut though)
> 
> Resistance is Futile by Seth da Hooded Bandit [Complete] (It's also Cardverse)
> 
> La Varieté Plait by Anon (on Hetalia-kink Dreamwidth) [Incomplete]
> 
> Châtiment by AngelPair [Complete]
> 
> As for USUK, Fangirls Revenge writes many Omegaverse fics. However, her fics are also very heavy in side pairings such as Franada, RoChu, PruAus etc., which might throw some people off.
> 
> On the topic of side pairings, this story probably won't have any/many of them, since I don't really feel very strongly for any pairing besides USUK, FrUK and maybe, Portugal/England (which won't appear in this story romantically).
> 
> Now, as I mentioned, there are very few FrUK Omegaverse fics and since, based on the poll, it's unlikely that this would become a FrUK story, I've decided to write a FrUK Omegaverse story. However, I need a plot. So, if you want, feel free to leave a prompt for a FrUK Omegaverse story.


	6. Continued Cooking And Prejudiced Pricks

_Chapter Five—Continued Cooking And Prejudiced Pricks_

Arthur was a little pissed off with the way things were organised. From where he and Matthew decided to seat, they could barely what Professor Bonnefoy was doing. Arthur could just make out him sprinkling all kinds of things in pans and putting a tray in the oven. To think, the rest of the cooking classes would be like that as well. Unbelievable. Why couldn't they just allow more than one cooking class? Since they make it compulsory for Omegas, why not at least provide a conducive learning environment?

But it was okay. Arthur was sure, with help from the recipe, it was going to turn out fine.

After Professor Bonnefoy finished demonstrating the two dishes they were going to make—"Éclairs and Salted Fish. We're starting with more complicated recipes since I'm sure all of you are up for something more advanced after the simple dishes they teach in high school"—it was time to get a cracking.

Arthur stared at the recipe for a long time while Matthew went to get the ingredients required. He stared at it intensely. He wanted to be so familiar with it that there was no  _way_ he would make a mistake. He needed the recipe to be imprinted within his mind. He couldn't get it wrong this time.

"Your stare is burning a hole into the paper,  _mon ami."_

Arthur jumped in surprise, shocked out of his focus by the sudden voice behind him. He scowled once he realised who it was before he wiped it off and attempted a smile. No matter what, this  _was_ his Professor after all. It would be improper to be rude—too rude, that is.

"I'm just ensuring that I get it right,  _Professor,"_ Arthur said with gritted teeth. He just couldn't help it. There was this inner hostility trying to get out of him, for some reason. He actually thought he was doing a good job keeping it in.

"Oh? You're quite enthusiastic about cooking, aren't you? It's good to be passionate in something but don't be too serious. Try to have some fun.  _Oui?"_ Professor Bonnefoy said. And to Arthur's surprise, Francis did not give much indication that they have met before. It was as if this was their first meeting. Which honestly, Arthur did not really mind at all. In fact, it earned him some of Arthur's respect. It seemed he could be professional after all.

"Well, I won't describe myself as an  _enthusiast,_ per se. I just like to get everything right—and this recipe must be followed exactly," Arthur replied as he continued to read the recipe.  _And if I do this correctly then maybe, for once, my dish would turn out perfect,_ Arthur thought.

"Now that's just a narrow way of thinking. Cooking is a rather subjective subject. In this class, I don't make it a rule to follow the recipe. Sometimes, liberties can be taken. Just take your partner for example," Professor Bonnefoy said, gesturing to Matthew, who was approaching them slowly, his arm full of ingredients. "Dear Matthew is very good at improvising and I must say, most of his best dishes resulted from his creativity with food."

"You flatter me," Matthew said when he heard what Francis said, an embarrassed blush dusting his cheeks. "You're like an overly proud mother, Professor. And I mean that in the most respectful way."

Professor Bonnefoy chuckled and assisted Matthew with spreading the ingredients out across their station. Arthur stood by, staring blankly at the scene before him. He wanted to whack himself on the head. What was he doing?  _He_  should be the one helping Matthew out with the ingredients. They were partners in this and needed to play an equal part.

 _It's alright,_ Arthur told himself.  _You can contribute more in the actual cooking._

"I am definitely proud of teaching you," Professor Bonnefoy replied. "I take pride in all of my students."

Turning to face Arthur, Professor Bonnefoy continued, "I'm leaving you in good hands, Arthur." He winked. "Remember, have fun!"

Francis then went off to the next station, leaving Arthur and Matthew to their cooking.

They got to work.

* * *

"Why is this happening?" Arthur asked, alarmed. The salted fish in his pan was doing some strange fizzling thing and when he tried to flip it around, it didn't stay in one piece. A part of it came off and since he pulled his spatula a little to hard, it flew off the pan and fell on the floor, much to Arthur's dismay.

Matthew, who was at this point filling up the éclairs with custard, heard Arthur's plea for help and went to his side. Looking at the portion of burnt fish in the pan and on the floor, Matthew frowned.

Arthur was worried. Was Matthew regretting his decision to partner up with him? Was his cooking that bad?

"Well, it isn't that bad," Matthew tried being optimistic. "I'm sure we can salvage it…it'll be fine. Maybe you could work on the éclairs while I do the fish? Just so we get a feel of the different recipes, of course."

Arthur knew that Matthew was sugarcoating his words, trying not to hurt his feelings. And he could understand that. The sad piece of fish on the floor held the glaring truth—Arthur's cooking wasn't the best. Matthew was just attempting to save their dish.

Still, his pride stung. So he denied.

"It's okay, Matthew. I think I can handle this."

* * *

"So…" Professor Bonnefoy said as he looked down at Matthew and Arthur's salted fish. "Matthew? Would you like to explain?"

They were one of the only few pairs left in the kitchen. The other Omegas have all left, with their dishes approved and their stations cleaned. Unfortunately for Matthew and Arthur, although their éclairs were  _exquis,_ their salt fish was far from passable.

"Well," Matthew said in a small voice, eyes darting to Arthur, "uh…it's… We'll do it better next time. Arthur was just unused to this kitchen, I'm sure."

It was silent for a while before Professor Bonnefoy cleared his throat and said, "I understand. I look forward to your improvement next lesson."

He then shifted his focus to Arthur and said, "Don't be discouraged, Arthur. We'll help you get better. You may go now.  _Adieu."_

* * *

"That wasn't too bad," Matthew started as both of them walked down the hallway. They now had an hour lunch break before they had to go to their dormitory for a 'dorm orientation' so as to get to know their dorm mate.

Arthur hoped he got a nice dorm mate.

"Yes, I guess so," Arthur said, feeling downcast. He really disliked failure, especially in cooking, which he was supposed to be naturally good at. He envied the fact that Matthew could cook so well and so effortless.

Before Matthew replied though, they came to a halt as a group of students ( _Alphas_ , according to their scent) in front of them blocked their way.

When Arthur tried to move out of their way, they followed with him, leaving him annoyed and angry.

"Oh no," Matthew whispered.

Arthur had no idea what was happening. He was about to ask Matthew what he meant when the Head Alpha of the group (or so Arthur assumed) sneered, "I can't believe this little whore hasn't dropped out yet. When will you learn, Williams?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: That ending is so awkward ._. Sorry 'bout that.
> 
> So far,
> 
> FrUKUS - 56
> 
> USUK - 55
> 
> FrUK - 33
> 
> Okay, I just want to say something. Please refrain from calling me prejudiced because I didn't include a fic in my list. That's a misuse of the word. Also, I only recommend fics that I have read and think are nice or fics that have been recommended to me by others. If you want me to include a fic, you can recommend it and I'll include it, as long as it fits the condition I set.
> 
> Anyway, here are some FrUKUS recommendations:
> 
> FrUK King Diamond And Concubine by Anon(s) [prompt on Hetalia Dreamwidth with three or so fills]
> 
> The Trials and Trepidations of a Royal Omega by ScarletPrussia (on AO3) [Incomplete]


	7. The Hallways And An Annoying Arse

_Chapter Six—The Hallways And An Annoying Arse_

_Who do they think they are?_ Arthur thought. He felt so  _enraged,_ like you wouldn't believe. Even though he had only known Matthew for a few hours, he wanted to stand up for him and put those Alphas into their place. As a matter of fact, even if Matthew  _wasn't_  the nicest person in the world (which he was, Arthur was sure), this group of Alphas just coming out and insulting him in such a manner was uncalled for. And not to mention, extremely rude.

Swallowing, Arthur walked up to them, ignoring Matthew calling for him to stop, and said, "Why don't you just move and we'll be out of your way? No need for such petty insults." Arthur's voice was strained. He was trying so hard to keep his cool. No matter how horrid these wankers were, he was still a  _gentlemen._

"Arthur—" Matthew tried to cut in but was shoved out of the way by the leader of the pack.

Said Alpha laughed as Matthew fell to the floor before turning around to face Arthur, sneering as he glared him down. Arthur wanted to continuing standing strong and be the confident Omega he was, but the Alpha was a head taller than him and was at least twice his body weight. That wasn't it—Arthur could probably outwit the twit but the damn pheromones had to fucking butt in. The intense smell of authority threatening to oppress him was unbearable.

Arthur soon backed down, his arms unconsciously wrapping around himself, body folding in on itself. He hated this; he hated this  _so_  much. Frustrated tears were starting to drip down his face and he  _hated_  it. The Alpha didn't even have to try and Arthur just gave in.

His head was suddenly jerked up; the Alpha's slimy fingers were on his chin, tilting his face upwards, forcing Arthur to look at his smirking face.

"Aw...look at this Omega.  _Pathetic!"_ And then he actually spat in Arthur's face while the other Alphas in his gang broke out in laughter. "I can't understand why this college accepts such weak little shits. Why don't some Omegas understand?" He leaned down to Arthur's ear and continued, "You belong at home. Why are you even here?"

Arthur tried his best to ignore those words, all the while wondering where everyone was. Weren't there any Professors witnessing this? Any students? Surely this was not allowed in this school! Wait—was Matthew alright?

He tried to turn his head to check but the Head Alpha forced his face right back. "Don't you  _dare_ turn away from me! Now answer my question—why are you here? A great Alpha or even a Beta should be here instead of you. You shouldn't be here. Come on, admit it. Say it. You shouldn't be here."

Without thinking, Arthur muttered, " Fine.  _You_ shouldn't be here."

The Alpha's face turned bright red with anger and Arthur could practically see the steam coming out his ears. Even the Alpha's gang "oohed" as if in a cheesy sitcom. Oh yes, that was satisfying. Arthur wouldn't regret it, even though he would probably be pummeled into the ground soon enough now.

Well, no regrets. Keep calm and carry on, after all.

"You little shit—" Arthur flinched, closing his eyes tight as he waited for the punch.

It didn't come though. Huh, well what would you know?

"Hey! What are you guys doing?! Oh crap, Mattie are you okay?" An unfamiliar voice resounded down the hall. Arthur felt the Alpha release his face from his grip and he opened his eyes, wanting to know what just happened.

The first thing Arthur did was to see if Matthew was okay. But the moment he looked Matthew's way, he had to wonder if he really  _had_ been punched. Because he was seeing  _two_ Matthews. Matthew No. 2 was helping Matthew No. 1 up from the floor and Arthur had to rub his eyes to make sure that he wasn't hallucinating.

Turns out he wasn't. Judging from the smell, Matthew No. 2 was an Alpha. And gazing closer, there were obvious differences. They had similar facial features, sure, but while Matthew had a slender figure, the uh… _other_  Matthew had a more muscular body and even appeared to be taller than the Head Alpha from the arsehole group of bloody wankers. It was a bit intimidating…

Oh, they also had different hairstyles. After such detailed observations, Arthur concluded (Sherlock Holmes style) that the newly arrived Alpha was Matthew's brother. Not twins though. Twins always shared the same nature.

Anyway, let's get back to the situation at hand. The Head Alpha appeared conflicted. He kept glaring at Arthur while also glancing nervously at Matthew's brother, who was scanning Matthew, ensuring that there were no injuries. As if he wanted so bad to punch Arthur in the face but was afraid of the consequences… Why though? Although Matthew's brother looked stronger than the Head Alpha, the power of numbers definitely tipped the scales in the group's favour in this case.

Finally, Matthew's brother turned to face the Alpha pack. His sky-blue eyes were aflame with anger and it actually made Arthur shiver. Fuck it; Arthur really hated his nature's instinct to cower whenever Alphas released those bloody pheromones of theirs. But at least for now, he was glad that that rage wasn't directed at him.

"What the crap, guys?! You don't just go around shoving Omegas around! I swear, if you do it again…" The sentence wasn't finished but the threat was evident. This Alpha meant business. Although, Arthur disliked how Matthew's brother seemed to think that Omegas couldn't stand their own ground and needed an Alpha's protection.

The Head Alpha of the group took a few steps backwards. He shook his head at his group and they started retreating, while the Head Alpha remained and gave Matthew's brother a distasteful look.

"It's disgusting how you support this," he spat. "As a fellow Alpha you should  _know_ that they shouldn't be here. But I'm not going to try to convince an  _idiot_ …"

"Oh you're  _dead—_ " Matthew's brother advanced towards the Head Alpha but Matthew tugged his arm back and shook his head.

The Head Alpha quickly followed his group away in this time gap, narrowly escaping the other's wrath.

"He's not worth it," Matthew said.

"But Mattie! You heard what he said! Not only did he hurt you but he also insulted your Nature! And me! He deserves a punch to that ugly face of his!"

"They never got physical before…"

"You mean they did this before?! Why didn't you tell me? Or even Mum and Dad? We could have helped you!"

Arthur had been observing this conversation between siblings awkwardly from the side. That was until Matthew turned to him (ignoring his brother's questions), worry etched on his face.

"Are you okay, Arthur?" Matthew asked.

Arthur cleared his throat, trying to look more dignified after that horrid ordeal. "Of course I'm alright. In fact, I should be asking you that question. Are  _you_ alright?"

Before Matthew could answer, his brother butted in. "Of course he's alright! I saved you guys! You're Arthur, right? Hello, I'm Alfred! You're cute!" The words were blurted out so fast and Arthur was sure the Alpha didn't even think before he spoke.

That annoying arse. Arthur wrinkled his nose. "I didn't need to be  _saved._ I was doing perfectly fine by myself," Arthur said.

"Aw come on! I totally saved your ass! After all, I'm the hero! I don't need you to thank me but at least acknowledge it, man."

Uh. Arthur was so done. He appreciated the Alpha's help previously but Alfred's ego was seriously annoying him.

"Well, goodbye Matthew. I hope to see you later."

After a short pause, he decided to add, "Bye,  _Alfred._ "

He meant to it to be sarcastic and he hoped the Alpha got that. Americans never seemed to understand British sarcasm sometimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Alfred makes an appearance! Yay!
> 
> So far,
> 
> FrUKUS - 70
> 
> USUK - 69
> 
> FrUK - 40
> 
> I've started another FrUKUS Love Triangle Omegaverse fanfiction. It's set in the Hunger Games Universe and well, yeah... The prologue is up so if it seems interesting to you, go ahead and check it out! :3 No poll in this one though.
> 
> Thank you for all the reviews! I'm astounded at how much feedback I've gotten for this fic. I hope we can maintain that :D


	8. Interlude One—Speaking With My Bro, Yo!

"Oh my gosh, dude! Mattie, is that a friend of yours?" Alfred said excitedly once Arthur was out of hearing range. While he had waited impatiently for Arthur to go far away enough for him to gush to his brother without getting super embarrassed, he had also thoroughly enjoyed it. Oh yeah, he knew that they were just destined to be together.

Matthew stared at Alfred, that joyous and determined face, and he knew that Alfred wasn't just asking for fun. And Matthew had never felt more afraid for another person. When Alfred wanted something, nothing could stop him. But this time, Matthew will sure try.

Biting his lip, he answered, "I just met him today. But he really seems like a great person. He's one of the freshmen."

"Oh sweet! So he's in my year? Awesome!" Alfred fist-pumped the air. This was going to be easier than he thought. Geez, at first he thought Arthur was in Matthew's year, which would have sucked a bit since they wouldn't meet very often, limiting Alfred's chances to woo him but now that he knew they were in the same year... Nothing could stand in his way!

"Do you know what he likes, bro? Oh man, I have to start courting him quick before all the other Alphas start doing it." Alfred said absentmindedly as he started planning. Flowers, chocolates, all the stuff Omegas like.

Matthew wanted to run to find Arthur and warn him about this. His brother really shouldn't watch all those Disney movies. He hadn't even met Arthur for ten minutes and yet, he was ready to  _court_ him. Even for Alfred standards, that was a bit much.

"Whoa, wait just a minute," Matthew said, voice raised. "You can't just do that."

"Shush Mattie, I'm planning." Alfred ignored Matthew, going back to thinking up courting gifts.

"No, you shush!" The Omega shouted as loud as he could—although it was as loud as Alfred's indoor voice. "Listen to me! What would Mum and Dad think?"

"They'll be glad," Alfred replied. "You know how much they want grandchildren."

 _Really?_  Matthew shaked his head, horrified. Did Alfred already label Arthur as someone who would carry his children? What the heck?

"Oh god Alfred, just stop now! If you do this I can guarantee that Arthur will  _hate_ you." Alfred immediately turned to face Matthew, eyes the size of dinner plates. Well, at least now Matthew had his attention. Now to make good use of it.

"You saw it for yourself just now. He doesn't like societal stereotypes. And I also really doubt that he wants to be in a relationship right now. Seriously, why not just be his friend? He'll probably like you better then."

"Wait…what?"

Matthew sighed. "Just be his friend, okay? Don't try to court him after one day. I'm pretty sure he'll castrate you if you do."

Alfred thought hard for a moment. Arthur sure did seem very angry with him just now—which Alfred didn't understand considering that he  _did_ save him and everything. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to court him just yet.

 _But he's so cute! What if some other Alpha snatched him up before I can?_ Alfred thought.

_I guess—I guess I could be his friend. His very bestest friend!_

"This way I can make sure no one else can get close to him," Alfred said quietly, so only he could hear it.

"Alright Mattie! We'll be his greatest friends, won't we?" Alfred said, wrapping his arms around his bro.

And, of course, Matthew really wondered what he got Arthur into.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Yay! I managed to squeeze out another update before that. Lol, Alfred, what?
> 
> So far,
> 
> USUK - 81
> 
> FrUKUS - 77
> 
> FrUK - 42


	9. The Dormitory And The Reasonable Roommate

_Chapter Seven—The Dormitory And The Reasonable Roommate_

After the horrible encounter with the group of Alphas, Arthur lost his appetite and decided to skip lunch entirely. Instead, he decided to just take his time, slowly strolling towards the hostel, somewhat anticipating the meeting with his roommate. Hopefully, he got a nice one and if that was too much to hope for, maybe someone who let him go about his own business without annoying him. Someone who was prejudiced against Omegas seeking higher education like the Alphas of before would be the worst-case scenario, and Arthur was pleading with all his heart that Fate wasn't so cruel to him.

And as he walked along the pathway to get to the hostel, Arthur couldn't help but think about the previous events. Of how the Alpha had come in to save both Matthew and him (although Arthur had vehemently denied it at that moment in time).

The Alpha had helped him and Arthur hadn't thanked him just because he came across as annoying. Well, of course Alfred had not swooped into the situation to help  _Arthur,_ he obviously interfered because he saw that his brother was in danger; that wasn't the point. The point was that Arthur had been so utterly  _rude_ to someone who was actually,  _genuinely_  nice to him. Sure, he had come across as a little ignorant to the fact that Omegas could be independent (who didn't  _need_  an Alpha to protect that) but that was all. It was just  _ignorance._ He hadn't purposeful been prejudiced, nor had he been malicious. In fact, the Alpha had even (sort of, in his own way) stood up for Omega Rights.

So Alfred was a decent person who seemed to want to be Arthur's friend and Arthur had basically burned the bridges before they were even built. He had made such a bad impression!

 _Stupid!_ Arthur chided himself. And not only that, Alfred was Matthew's brother! What if Matthew decided that he was actually a horrid person because of the way he had acted?

Arthur kicked a small pebble that was in his way and sighed. That aside, the Alpha Alfred had him thinking about Arthur's brothers. Matthew and Alfred seemed quite close, even though one was an Omega and the other was an Alpha. Yet, his relations with his brothers were so atrocious. Why was it like that? Why could Alfred treat Matthew as an equal but his brothers always saw him as different, as inferior to him? Why were they never protective of him, like how Alfred was of Matthew? Why had they bullied him instead of standing up for him against bullies?

Of course, now, Arthur disliked the fact that someone would think he required protection just because of his Nature but this was a case of familial ties. When he had been seven years old and saw all his Alpha brothers playing football, he would have greatly appreciated being included. When he had been ten years old, being bullied by a couple of Alphas for getting the highest score in their level, he would have loved for his brothers to help him, either by teaching him the fighting techniques that they frequently shared with each other or step in to stop it.

He couldn't help but want something like Matthew and Alfred's brotherly relationship. And he also couldn't help but wonder what was it about him that repulsed his brothers so much that they all decided not to treat him like a brother at all. Was it because his brothers were just terrible people or was it because Arthur was a terrible person? It seemed unlikely that all four of his brothers just decided to hate him without any reason…

Damn it! Why was he thinking about this stuff? He's left home and was unlikely to ever return. He was where he always wanted to be and he should stop looking back to the past or it would just lower his self-esteem and depress him.

* * *

After a few more minutes of walking, Arthur finally reached the hostel and headed up to his room. He was quite early so he didn't expect his dorm mate to be there yet.

So obviously, he was surprised to open the door of his room to find someone going about inside, packing his stuff. Arthur sniffed and was met with a lack of any scent. A Beta then.

"Hello…?" Arthur said, feeling nervous. He always felt so jittery when meeting new people.

"Hm?" The Beta responded, immediately stopping what he was doing, turning around to face Arthur. A friendly smile stretched on the Beta's lips when he saw Arthur and he extended one hand in a welcoming gesture. "Oh! Are you my new roommate? It's nice to meet you!"

Arthur took the hand hesitantly and shook it, answering, "Yes, I'm your new roommate. It's nice to meet you too. I'm Arthur Kirkland."

"João Fernandes. So, first let's decide the most important thing…which bed do you want? Bottom or top?" He gestured to the bunk bed.

"Bottom, please." Arthur replied, feeling relieved that João was giving him a choice. He was a bit afraid of heights and the bottom bunk seemed the most practical. He burnt midnight oil quite often and it would be easier to just quietly sneak into the bed closest to the ground, instead of quite possibly making a lot of noise climbing up the ladder and waking João up in the middle of the night.

"Okay, great! I look forward to our future stay with each other. I hope we can be friends.  _Amigos?"_

Arthur nodded his head without thinking. Wow, things just happened so fast. From the name, the Beta was probably Portuguese or Brazilian or something of the like. With olive skin, dark hair and green eyes though (the stereotypical look of the Mediterranean), so Arthur guessed that he was most probably from Portugal. João seemed like a nice guy, quite enthusiastic, and wondrously, he fit the picture of an ideal roommate in Arthur's mind. And he wanted to be friends?

How could Arthur say no?

And well, with such a nice roommate, how bad could college life be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this chapter there is quite a large time jump (aka a few years) where the real story begins. Although, don't worry about the missing details in between because there will be context set in the new chapters, as well as flashbacks and interludes and all those other things. And we get Alfred and Francis' perspectives, yay! And they won't be under interlude or anything, it depends on when they can further the story along + back story types of things etc.
> 
> Oh and this is the last chance to vote! The final results will be released next chapter. Also, don't be too disheartened if your vote didn't win. There is a minute chance that I might write the two other pairings somewhere down the line if I don't lose stamina at the end of this story. So look forward to that.
> 
> So far,
> 
> USUK - 107
> 
> FrUKUS - 89
> 
> FrUK - 46
> 
> And yes, that is Portugal! Since he doesn't have an official human name, I searched up the most common first and last names in Portugal and just wrote what sounded good :3


	10. The End of Orientation And The Start of the Story

_Chapter Eight—The End of Orientation And The Start of the Story_

_**Three Years Later…** _

Arthur panted as he ran towards the library. He was late! And it was his first day! This was the worst, honestly. What a way to make a bad first impression!

But many of the people in the Literature-Interest Discussion Group or LID were people he already knew (which was why he was finally joining in, after three years of wanting to but deciding against it), so he figured this wouldn't ruin his reputation  _too_  bad. Well, maybe. Even after three years of having friends, he was still really awkward with them, never being able to truly let go, afraid that everything was just a joke, that they disliked him deep inside. It was horrid to think like that and to an extent, Arthur could see that it did not make sense but he couldn't help it! You never really know if someone's going to turn on you so it's always best to keep your guard up. Right?

Bursting into the meeting room reserved for the group, and being yelled at by the librarian for the first time in his  _life_ , he said, "I'm here!" before coming to a stop and finally catching his breath with relief. The room fell silent as everyone turned to stare at him, due to his bombastic entrance. Arthur's face turned bright red instantly and he squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists, just hoping that they would continue what they were doing before and stop bearing witness to his embarrassment.

Suddenly, hands were gripping his shoulders and pulling him into a hug. Just a whiff of the other person's scent and he knew it was Alfred. After being supposed friends with him for three years, Arthur had grown accustomed to it. It was weird, really. Arthur had never expected to have friends, let alone an Alpha one. He always thought Alphas never befriended Omegas and only ever wanted them for sex and breeding. Alfred had proved him wrong and perhaps it was because he was just that nice of a person. Although, that didn't mean he stopped being obnoxious. Or loud. Or egotistical. Or… Wait, what was he thinking about again?

Either way, he was glad that he had Alfred as a friend. The Alpha had been his gateway to new friends as well. Turns out being extremely annoying attracted a lot of friends. No wonder Arthur had none before. Still, Arthur appreciated it greatly and since Alfred had not made a move on him all this years, he was assured that Alfred actually liked him as a person, and not just an Omega. He couldn't be sure about any other Alphas though… so maybe Alfred was a special case. The only other Alpha he really hung out with was Professor Bonnefoy anyway and that couldn't even be considered a friendship, it just didn't count, as Francis was his  _teacher._

"Oh my gosh dude! You actually came!" Alfred exclaimed loudly, his voice threatening to burst Arthur's eardrums. "I really didn't expect your grumpy pants to finally stop studying and start having fun."

"I'm not grumpy!" Arthur protested, a scowl on his face. Oh he just knew that he should have stayed in his room.

 _You're doing it for the books, Arthur,_ he reminded himself.  _You're doing it for the books._

Yes, as much he hated to admit it, Alfred was correct to a certain extent. He's been so busy ever since he entered college. Much busier than he's ever been before even. To earn extra money (to pay for the increasing college loan), he had started working longer and longer hours. He's also started dabbling in advocacy (if you considered spending days writing proposals to the government and staging peaceful protests dabbling), once he learnt that Professor Bonnefoy was in charge of an Omega Rights group. Between these three things, Arthur had little to no time for himself. The last time he's been to the library for leisure's sake was at least a year ago.

"Ha!  _Suuuuure_ you aren't. Anyway, come on over here! It was my turn to choose this week's book and it is super awesome! Like you can't believe!" Alfred pulled Arthur towards the long table and the centre of the room where at least twenty students sat, as well as the supervising Literature Professor, Professor Héderváry.

A smile played on Arthur's lips. Alfred was so childish and silly. It was honestly quite endearing. He also vaguely wondered what book Alfred chose. He knew Alfred mostly enjoyed non-fiction books, especially science-based ones. Perhaps, he chose something along those lines. However, once he saw the pile of comics on the table, his face fell.

"Oh no. Nononononono, no! Alfred! This is a  _literature_ group. You can't choose these type of books! They're childish and simply don't qualify. Professor Héderváry," Arthur turned to the Professor, arms raised in exasperation, "surely this isn't allowed!"

"Now, now Mr Kirkland, calm down. We haven't started on any discussion yet and you're getting rather heated. I know this is your first day and you don't really know how things work here but its never good to presume. However, since you're usually quite well-behaved, I'll disregard this instance," Professor Héderváry replied with a stern voice.

Arthur gulped. Professor Héderváry was usually so cheerful and having her chide him was horrible. This was really, really such a bad day. He really shouldn't have left his room. He bowed his head in apology, hoping to convey to her that he was sincerely sorry for his outburst.

"No need for that now, Arthur. I'm not mad," Professor Héderváry chuckled, patting Arthur's shoulder in a comforting fashion. "I'm even quite impressed. No one in my class has ever been quite as passionate as you about Literature. I just need you to keep in mind that we're in a library and that we're an open group. No form of writing is inherently inferior to another. That you must never forget. The more open you are, the more you are able to learn, after all."

Thinking about it for a moment, Arthur started to see that Professor Héderváry had a point. It was hard to accept though. And hard to see. How could comic books be anywhere near as good as the classics?

"Haha! You heard that Artie? My comics are as good as your dusty old books! Even better, I'll say. At least they don't put anyone to sleep," Alfred boasted.

Arthur wanted to scream and protest.  _No._ Just  _no._ No matter how hard anyone tried to convince him, comic books could never come close to  _real_ books. But it turned out he didn't have to.

"Mr Jones! I just now mentioned how no form of literature was better than the other and here you are, disregarding the vision of LID. Please kindly keep our vision in mind before you open your mouth. Am I clear?" Professor Héderváry stepped in and scolded Alfred the same way she did Arthur.

"Yeah, yeah," Alfred grumbled, his Alpha scent becoming a little stronger, matching his annoyance. "I'm sorry, Professor H. Won't happen again. Promise."

Professor Héderváry nodded, accepting the apology before clapping her hands to bring everybody's attention onto her. The light chatting in the room trickled to a stop as the students turned towards her to hear what she was going to say.

"So, as you can all see, we have a new member to our group. His name is Arthur Kirkland and I'd love all of you welcome him with open arms and teach him the ways of our group." Professor Héderváry gestured to Arthur and he raised his hand to give a weak, nervous 'hello'. Although he recognised half the people in the room, he didn't know many of them well and he felt awkward.

The members of LID all smiled at his introduction however, appearing extremely friendly, slowly putting Arthur at ease. Maybe, Arthur could fit in after all.

Alfred gave him a huge thumbs up and Arthur smiled. Yes he would.

And thus his first ever LID session commenced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took long... sorry!
> 
> The final results are...
> 
> USUK - 124
> 
> FrUKUS - 106
> 
> FrUK - 53
> 
> Thus USUK wins!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter (after such a long wait)! I'll try to update as soon as possible.

**Author's Note:**

> The other chapters will be longer, most definitely. And who Arthur will end up with is undecided yet. I absolutely enjoy both USUK and FrUK so I'm not biased to a particular ship. You could message me on who you want to win, if you like.


End file.
